These Lights Will Inspire You
by MissMandyPandy
Summary: Rachel and Kurt are in New York after graduation. Rachel and Finn broke up to follow their dreams, and Blaine is coming next year. But when Rachel finds a familiar face, a guy who happens to be lonely, just like her, will they become more than friends?


Rachel brought the last box up and sat down on a box filled with books. Kurt brought her a cup of lemonade from the fridge and smiled, "They weren't _that_ heavy!" He laughed and sat next to her, as she took a long drink of lemonade.

Leaning forward she sighed and set her glass on another box, "They were too heavy! You might be gay, Kurt, but you're a guy. You still have more muscle than me!" She laughed. She'd been moving in with Kurt all day, but Finn never left her mid. She bit her lip. She wasn't sure leaving Finn back in Ohio with Quinn was a good idea. But they had decided to go their own way. And football was his way; Broadway was hers.

Kurt laughed, "That is a flat out lie, Rachel Berry!" Kurt walked to his new bedroom in the New York flat they were renting, with the help of their parents, and looked out his window. The view brought tears to his eyes.

Rachel walked into the room and put a hand on his shoulder, "Isn't it a beauty?" She looked out the window. People were walking quickly to a fro, trying to get to where they got to go. The buildings towered over her head, even on the twenty second floor of this apartment. A 9/11 memorial was visible from where she stood. And then, there was Broadway. The theaters, lined up. They planted a smile on her face.

Kurt nodded, "It really is." A sudden knock on the door made them both jump. Kurt looked at Rachel, "Who is that?" They just moved here, so no one knew their address. Not to mention they didn't know anyone.

Rachel wiped a tear from her eye and went to the answer the door, "I don't know, I can't see through walls." She walked carefully and gracefully to the door and swung it open. The face on the other side made her freeze. Struggling for words she blinked a couple times, "Um, Puckerman? What are you doing here?"

Puck stood at her door, handsome as always. The last time they'd seen each other was senior prom night. And after that they'd both been so embarrassed, they stopped talking. He did that smirky smile he does before pushing past her and walking into her quaint apartment, "Nice place."

Kurt heard a familiar voice in the living room and walked out to join the his best friend and their unexpected guest. He sniffled, but a smile was spread across his face. Then he saw Puck. His jaw dropped, "What are you doing here?"

Puck looked at them like they were crazy, "You think New York is just for the overachievers who make it into Juilliard? No! It's also for the underachievers who get into NYU, and seeing as how you're mom is her with Bethy-Boo, I decided to join them, and she paid for my college, and apartment." It was true. When Shelby said she was going back to continue her career on Broadway. Puck wasn't gonna lose Beth again, and since he'd cleaned up his act that last year of high school, he made it into NYU. Shelby and him made an agreement that she would pay for his college and apartment if he got a 3.0 or higher. He agreed, since that meant he could be with Beth.

Rachel and Kurt exchanged a look. Kurt threw his hands in the air in mock surrender and went back to his room. He really couldn't care less that Puck yelled at them, it was fairly normal, but he knew all about their little kiss, and figured for whatever reason Puck was here, it wasn't so him and Kurt could talk about how gorgeous Blaine was.

Rachel sighed and sat on a box again. Puck's sarcasm was irritating, but then he gave her that cute smile and it didn't matter, "I meant at my apartment."

Puck looked away, so she couldn't see his face, "Well, Shelby saw you guys moving in yesterday, and told me to drop by." He would never tell her that he was in love with her since that kiss, and wanted to get to know her better. And not the normal 'get to know you way' that Puck usually wanted.

Rachel gave him a weird look. She knew Puck, he never listened to anyone. Narrowing her eyes, she asked, "Why are you really here?"

Shrugging he averted his eyes, "That's seriously why! I don't know anyone here but Shelby and Beth. I figured a guy needs friends." He stood up and walked to look out her balcony door. "Nice view of the city, you got here," he said, trying to change the subject.

Rachel ignored the nagging feeling inside her that told her to get more info out of him, and walked to get him a glass of lemonade, "Thanks. It would be costing us a fortune if our parents weren't helping out." She walked out to the living. "Here," she handed him the glass filled with lemonade.

He took it and smiled, "What happened with you and Finn? I mean, you were all, together, and in love, and then you weren't." He shrugged as if the conversation didn't matter, and took a sip of his drink. He'd heard a little from Finn in the locker room, but he mostly ignored what Finn said.

Rachel sighed and stared at the boxes, "Well, we just, went our separate ways. Are you and Quinn still together?" She knew the answer. They were still together. But Quinn would never tell him that she was staying in the dorm three rooms down from Finn.

A smile appeared on Puck's face, a smile that actually meant something, "We're together and strong. She's gonna come up here in two years when her two year scholarship runs out." It was gonna happen. They were gonna try again, and they would have Beth, and be a family. But then he remembered the hot, short-stack standing a couple feet away from him. He shook the idea of him and Rachel from his head and focused on the conversation.

Rachel smiled brightly, but it was all fake. She hated Quinn. All Quinn had ever done to Puck was hurt him. She used him, and dropped him as soon as she had the baby. Rachel knew the only way Puck would ever be happy, was if he left Quinn. But she lied the way friends lie when they're trying to help they're friend, "I'm happy for you two."

Puck's smile faded. He heard the way her voice sounded. It was the sound of needing someone who was so far away, yet so close. The sound of saying the exact opposite of what you wanted to say, because you knew it wasn't what the other person wanted to hear. At that moment he realized being here was too hard for him right now, "Well I should be going."

A sigh of disappointment slipped through Rachel's lips. She didn't want him to leave. But she waved, "Bye." As soon as he was gone she went to find Kurt. He was unpacking his Broadway posters when he saw her and looked down. She slid against the wall, "Well…"

Kurt gave her a look and dropped the poster to the floor, walking to sit by her. He knew she loved Puck. He also knew she would never do anything about it because she thought Puck was too good for her. Draping an arm around her shoulders, he half smiled at her, "I know what you're thinking Rach. You're thinking about, why he isn't with you. And why you couldn't have been the one he was in love with. And why he stopped by. And why you can't have a gorgeous boyfriend like him. Let me tell you Rachel, you can. He likes you too, I see the looks he gives you."

Kurt remembered back in high school when he'd catch Puck staring at Rachel. Every time Puck got caught, he'd make it look like he was looking at Quinn, or Santana. The Puckasaurus didn't fall in love, so he wouldn't let anyone know that he had. He'd loved Rachel since sophomore year, but, he sorta forgot about her when Beth came back. And then senior prom night happened, and all hell broke loose. Especially since they'd just become friends. Kurt knew all of that. Every last detail.

Her eyes stared out, with no where in mind. He was right. Everything he said was exactly correct. She looked up at her best friend, "You're lying." Rachel leaned against him and sighed.

Kurt frowned, "What part am I lying about?"

Rachel frowned back, "All of it. I don't like him, I don't want him, and he doesn't like me."

Kurt hugged her, "Whatever you say, honey." Kurt wasn't gonna argue with his best friend. Not when she was clearly upset, and in denial.

After about an hour, he got up and made some veggie soup for them. It wasn't much, but they just moved in. They sat on the edge of their balcony railing. Sounds were everywhere, and the sun was setting, causing a beautiful array of red light to hit the reflective windows of the New York skyscrapers. The smiles couldn't stay off Rachel's face in this city. When they finished they're soup, they tossed their empty bowls, disposable bowls, in the garbage and went back to watch the view.

As they stared at the buildings around them, they talked lightly about what they were gonna do in the month before college started. Their laughter filled the air as they talked of Broadway, and boys, and just the city. New York had that affect on them.


End file.
